Welcome!

Welcome to Caps 'Round the Clock, a blog covering the Washington Capitals and the NHL. In season, I update the Blog after every practice and on game day with Caps news and information, and then provide a recap and analysis after each contest. I also write a periodical Prospect Watch and weekly feature pieces on the state of the Men in Red and other things Capitals. And of course, I will post videos and tidbits from around the League and offer my two cents as the season wears on. In the offseason, I write a Report Card for each player, and will keep you updated on all the news about the Caps through the summer. I'm glad you're here, and hope you come back!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Gameday: vs. Tampa Bay, Jan. 13

#OccupyTheNet

The Washington Capitals will welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning to Verizon Center on Friday night as they attempt to continue some of the momentum that they picked up with their 1-0 win over the hated Penguins on Wednesday. The Caps enter tonight's game with a 6-3-1 record in their last ten games and a 22-17-2 mark overall for 46 standings points. Those 46 standings points place them second in the Southeast Division, four points back of the division leading Panthers, and eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning, on the other hand, lost 5-2 to the Hurricanes last night, are 3-5-2 over their last ten games and 17-21-4 on the year for 38 standings points. Those 38 standings points place the Bolts fourth in the Southeast Division and thirteenth overall in the East. This is the second of six meetings between these two clubs this season; the Capitals won the first meeting 6-5, in a shootout, in early October.

Dwayne Roloson will get the call in nets from Guy Boucher after Mathieu Garon was blitzed by the Hurricanes last night, getting pulled in the process. Roloson, on the year, is 6-9-2 with a 3.76 GAA, .880 save percentage, and one shutout. He lost his only start against the Caps this year, that game in October, allowing five goals and falling in the shootout. Outside the crease, Tampa Bay is dealing with several injuries. Defensemen Mattias Ohlund (knee) and Victor Hedman (concussion) are out, as is right winger Adam Hall, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle last week.

Tomas Vokoun is almost certain to receive the start in goal following his sparkling 30 save shutout performance against the Penguins on Wednesday. On the year, Vokoun is 17-10-0 on the year with a 2.56 GAA, .915 save percentage, and two shutouts. In his one start against the Bolts this year, the second game of the season, Vokoun allowed five goals but pulled out the win in a shootout. On the injury front, both Nicklas Backstrom (concussion) and Mike Green (groin) are on injured reserve and will not play. Cody Eakin, will play in place of Mathieu Perreault, while Jeff Schultz and John Erskine will be scratched for the second game in a row as Tomas Kundratek played well in his NHL debut.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Follow Me on Twitter

Welcome to CRtC

About Me

Hello, Caps or hockey fan! My name is Harry Hawkings and I am a sophomore and aspiring sports writer at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. At Trinity, I manage the Men's Ice Hockey team, write sports for the newspaper, and work for the student-run sports website, Trinity Sports Network.

I have been a Caps fan since I attended my first game when I was four years old and remember spending my allowance whenever I could to see the Capitals when they were having their 20-win seasons in the early and mid 2000s. About halfway through October 2010, I got bored one night and decided to start a Caps blog. I created it to help connect with my fellow Caps fans, to provide and pass along news, and to give my insight on the Capitals as they navigate their season.

I now write for RockTheRed.net as well, and am credentialed, through them, to work games and practices. Please, let me know what you think by leaving a comment, and come back!

If you would like links to Caps news, as well as my posts, or if you just want to laugh, you can follow me on Twitter: @HarryHawkings.